The Responsible Vendor Program (RVP) was implemented by the Alabama ABC
Board in October, 1990. The program requires the training of all employees
involved in the management, sale, or service of alcoholic beverages. An
average of 1,000 employees are trained each month throughout the State of
Alabama. Training includes Alabama law regarding the sale or service of
alcohol, practical techniques for determining if the customer is of legal
age, civil and criminal penalties, and techniques for reducing the risk
inherent in the sale/service of alcohol. Licensees who voluntarily join the
program are required to establish policies ensuring legal and responsible
sales and service, and to train employees in these policies.

For most licensees, participation in the program is voluntary. However,
Alabama law requires mandatory participation for on-premises licensees who
hold a retail restaurant license (020 license type), and who wish to hire
19- and 20- year old servers and allow those servers to deliver alcohol to
customer tables. Otherwise, persons under the age of 21 are prohibited from
delivering the alcohol to customer tables.

Benefits of participating in the program include:

Protection of the beverage license in the event that a trained
employee sells/serves an underage customer without the knowledge,
consent, or participation of the owner.